Evan Smith: Woodway official expects long process on Point Wells

By Evan Smith

ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

Woodway’s town administrator says he expects the decision invalidating the urban-center zoning of Point Wells to be a step in a long process.

Town administrator Eric Faison said Thursday that he expects Snohomish County to appeal the state growth management hearings board decision that overturned the County’s designation of the area as an urban center.

The County could appeal the decision to the Snohomish County Superior Court.

The Growth Management Hearings Board decided early this week that the zoning of Point Wells as an urban center is not proper.

Both Woodway and Shoreline had argued against the designation of Point Wells as an urban center. Shoreline and Woodway are concerned that they would absorb the impacts of the development, while the county would get the property tax revenue.

The Community organization “Save Richmond Beach” joined the two municipalities in disputing the urban-center designation.

Other urban center zones is Snohomish County are on highways near cities. The County had argued that Point Wells’ location along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks gave the area a transit alternative.

Shoreline, Woodway and Save Richmond Beach told the growth management hearings board that Sound Transit has no plans to build a station in the Point Wells area.

A developer has proposed building a 3,100-unit condominium complex on the former industrial site in unincorporated southwest Snohomish County.

The site is in Woodway’s urban growth area, but Faison said that there had been no proposal to annex the area.